Overview

The Meeting and Event Management at San Diego State University offers a transformative educational experience for professionals aiming to reach executive leadership roles. This graduate programme combines rigorous online coursework with essential face-to-face networking to develop high-level business event strategists.

Developed by the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, this degree is the first of its kind in North America. It was created in collaboration with Meeting Professionals International to ensure the curriculum meets the highest industry standards. Students benefit from a cohort-based model that fosters deep professional connections and collaborative learning.

The curriculum is specifically designed for individuals with five to fifteen years of experience in the sector.

Why Meeting and Event Management at San Diego State University?

The university provides a unique mentorship scheme that pairs every student with a high-level industry executive. This one-on-one guidance helps students navigate complex professional challenges and build a lasting network. The programme also features a personalised Leadership Development Plan tailored to individual career goals.

San Diego State University is recognised for its strong ties to the hospitality and tourism sectors. Students gain access to world-class facilities during two separate week-long residencies on the beautiful San Diego campus. These sessions focus on team-building, leadership exercises, and intensive capstone project development.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 8548 per year
National fee: USD 8548 per year
Local fee: USD 8548 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum consists of eight online courses and two on-campus sessions. Modules may include:

Strategic Leadership
Stakeholder Management
Finances
Business Analytics
Change Management
Marketing

Instead of a traditional thesis, students must complete a comprehensive capstone project. This project allows learners to apply their cumulative knowledge to a real-world business challenge within their specific field of interest.

Careers with Meeting and Event Management

Graduates are prepared for senior leadership positions such as Director, General Manager, or Chief Executive Officer. The programme supports career advancement across more than one hundred hospitality and tourism-related industries. Research indicates that professionals with a master's degree in this field often see significant salary increases.

Common career paths include roles in corporate meeting planning, destination management, and convention services. Alumni also find success in third-party planning, group sales, and large-scale audio-visual production. The degree provides the marketing savvy and analytical skills required to lead in a competitive global market.

Programme Structure

Curriculum:

Our courses focus on a variety of topics, including marketing, leadership, financial planning, accounting, technology, strategic development, and sustainability. Students will learn about these topics from dedicated, experienced instructors, many of whom also teach courses on SDSU’s main campus.

Our courses are supplemented by frequent networking opportunities and on-site learning experiences at some of San Diego’s most popular tourist destinations.

Key information

Duration

Part-time
- 21 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

60 SCH

Delivered

Online

Campus Location

San Diego, United States

Disciplines

Event Management Tourism & Leisure View 50 other Masters in Tourism & Leisure in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.8

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

In order to apply to the Master’s in Meets and Events Management program at SDSU Global Campus, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Ideally, you should also have experience in the hospitality and tourism industry.

If you’re a domestic applicant, SDSU requires that you have a minimum 2.85 undergraduate GPA. International applicants are required to have a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. Under special considerations, we may consider applicants with a GPA below 2.85 for admission.

If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, but you do have a track record of superior leadership, you may be accepted into the program and receive a special certification upon completion.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

11548 USD / year

≈ 11548 USD / year
Out-of-State

11548 USD / year

≈ 11548 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

8548 USD / year

≈ 8548 USD / year

Additional Details

Non-resident tuition: Add $444 per unit to the basic tuition and fees listed above.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Meeting and Event Management.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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